Can Dmitry Bivol Defeat Artur Beterbiev in Their Rematch?
On October 12th, WBC, WBO, and IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Artur Beterbiev faced WBA, and IBO Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol faced off in a super fight. The fight determined a new Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion with all world titles on the line, something that hadn’t been crowned since 2002. The bout saw Beterbiev win via split decision, though the result came with much controversy. With a rematch now set for February 22nd, 2025, can Bivol get revenge and call himself Undisputed?
The first match between Bivol and Beterbiev was a very close encounter, as the fight went to the distance and was scored via split decision for Artur. Many fans disagreed with this, as it seemed that Dmitry Bivol was controlling the pace for a majority of the fight. However, it did look as if Artur Beterbiev was piling on the pressure during the fight as well, which is likely why the judges gave him the victory. It was certainly a close fight and not a robbery by any means, as it could have gone either way.
If Dmitry Bivol wants to win the rematch, then he will have to use the same technique in his first fight as he controlled the bout. However, he will also have to be a little more aggressive as that’s the reason the judges gave Artur Beterbiev the win in the first fight. Despite landing the same amount of punches, Artur threw nearly double the amount, which looked much better to the judges. Bivol will definitely need to up the pressure and continue to fight at his pace if he wants to win his world titles back and take Beterbiev’s as well.
This time around, Bivol is walking into the fight without an undefeated record and with much more determination. The second match between Beterbiev and Bivol is set to take place on February 22nd, and it will feature a stacked undercard featuring the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Daniel Dubois. The stage for this rematch is certainly bigger than the first fight, as it can be purchased via PPV on DAZN, unlike the original, which was shown on ESPN+. Dmitry Bivol has a good chance of winning this rematch as many believe he won the first fight, though he needs to fight a certain way to take the Undisputed Light Heavyweight Championship from Artur Beterbiev.
